Roxas Strife: Vampire Hunter
by Gohan Roxas
Summary: Roxas Strife is the top vampire hunter in the Light Guardians, but when tragedy strikes, he's forced into witness protection. There he meets Naminé, who may mend his broken heart. But there's a vampire out there who wants him dead. AU. RokuNami, SoKai, TerQua and past RokuShi. Rated T for language and VAMPIRES.
1. Rise and Fall

_**Gohan Roxas: **__This idea came to me last night, and I was originally gonna make it a SoKai, TerQua or Lea/Yuffie fic, but I decided to go with RokuNami, since I've written for them before, but usually as a background to SoKai._

_**Roxas: **__Time for me to shine._

_**Gohan Roxas: **__Right._

_**Lea: **__*quickly* Gohan-doesn't-own-Kingdom-Hearts-or-vampires-okaybye!_

_**Gohan Roxas: **__Dammit Lea! You know I don't use disclaimers!_

_**Underground Catacombs**_

_**The Castle that Never Was**_

_**2330 hours**_

_**13**__**th**__** August, 2010**_

The blonde man sat restlessly against the slimy stone wall of the tunnel, his blue eyes alert. In his hands he held a black handgun; its barrel was pointed towards the nearby corridor. His grip tightened on the handle. He was here for a reason, and he planned to see it through.

Footsteps resounded through the silent tunnel. Cautiously, the man inched forwards from his place of concealment. As the footsteps got closer, he himself moved closer to their source. Eventually, a black-garbed figure rounded the corner; the man immediately wrapped one arm around the person's neck, placing them in a loose sleeper hold.

"Roxas! It's me!" the figure shouted in a familiar, feminine voice. He immediately let go; sure enough, it was Xion. She was his partner on this mission.

She was also his wife.

"Sorry, honey," Roxas apologised. "Places like this make me jumpy."

"You?" Xion asked her husband in mock disbelief. "The legendary Roxas Strife, vampire hunter extraordinaire, scared of a tunnel?" She laughed lightly.

His eyebrows raised, Roxas wrapped his arms around her slender waist. "You know, I'm gonna have to punish you for that remark later."

"Is that a promise?" she replied in a seductive voice.

"You bet it is." He kissed her lingeringly.

Xion pushed him back. "Not now. We have a mission, remember?"

Roxas grumbled slightly, but let go of his wife.

Xion and Roxas worked for an underground organisation called the Light Guardians. Based in Radiant Garden, their major task was wiping out the scourge of this world: vampires.

Though this mission was unusual for a vampire hunter.

The mission was to rescue Tidus Blitz, the son of Jecht Blitz, one of the Guardians' top agents. Tidus had gone to this castle, the Castle that Never Was, for a mission several days before. He did not return, though his tracker proclaimed he was still alive. Roxas and Xion were brought in to bring him back, but under a strict condition that was almost never used: kill no vampires.

"You coming, babe?" Xion asked from the exit of the tunnel.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

_**Throne Room**_

_**The Castle that Never Was**_

_**0005 hours**_

_**14**__**th**__** August 2010**_

In the elaborate throne room, the tall, silver-haired vampire cradled a wine glass lazily in his left hand and gazed at the still form lying before him. The woman was a sycophant, one of the many 'groupies', as the modern world called them, of vampires across the world. She had willingly given up her life so that he might feast.

He sipped the contents of the wine glass and cringed. A+, with a dash of iron.

Behind him, he heard heavy footsteps. "What is it, Lexaeus?"

"Vampire hunters, My Lord," Lexaeus rumbled. "In the castle."

The man paused in the act of drinking the sycophant's blood and glared at his servant. "What?! How?"

"I do not know, Lord Xemnas."

The vampire known as Xemnas sat back in his gilded throne. "No doubt coming for their ally…the boy." He grinned wolfishly. "Let them have him."

"My Lord?" Lexaeus was confused.

"Place the boy someplace where the Hunters will find him. I myself…and my wife…will be waiting for them."

Lexaeus' eyes widened. "Your wife? But My Lord…"

"Do you question me, slave?!" Xemnas demanded, his cinnabar eyes flashing and his fangs revealed.

"…No," was the sullen reply.

"Good," Xemnas purred. "Set the trap."

Lexaeus bowed and left without a word.

_**Lobby**_

_**The Castle that Never Was**_

_**0030 hours**_

_**14**__**th**__** August 2010**_

They eventually found Tidus strapped to a crude chair in the middle of the lobby. His body was covered in bloody marks, and his tanned skin was pale.

"Tidus!" Xion shouted, rushing to him. The two of them had grown up together, so they shared a bond like that of brother and sister.

"You…shouldn't have come…" Tidus murmured. "It's a…" he mumbled a word.

"It's a what?" Roxas asked, his voice serious.

"It's a…"

"I believe what Master Blitz is trying to say is, 'It's a trap!'" a voice came from the shadows. The source of it stepped forward; there, all cloaked in black, with silver hair, cinnabar eyes and flashing fangs, was Xemnas St. Peter. _The oldest vampire in the world,_ Roxas murmured in his mind.

Xion's hand immediately went for the wooden stake at her belt, but she was gripped from behind by strong, but feminine, hands. Staring balefully at Roxas with her fangs close to Xion's neck was Larxene, Xemnas' feared wife.

"You see, Mr Strife… And yes, I know who you are… You have a choice," Xemnas drawled. "Either you leave without your comrade…" He nodded to his wife. The grip around Xion's slender neck tightened. "…or your wife…" He grinned maliciously.

Roxas pulled his handgun from its holster and pointed it at the vampire.

Xemnas laughed mockingly. "That puny weapon can do nothing against me."

"It's not meant for you," Roxas snarled, wheeling. With precise aim, he shot Larxene in the face.

The blonde vampire screeched in agony, clutching at her face. Xion broke free and began to strafe the vampires in the room with her sub-machine gun. Roxas bolted towards Larxene, pulling out his stake as he ran, before slamming it into her heart.

Larxene immediately burst into flames and was gone.

"NO!" Xemnas' scream was one of hatred and bloodlust.

While Xion continued to shoot at the vampires, Roxas used the distraction to untie Tidus and throw him over his shoulder. "Xion! I got him! Let's go!"

His wife showed no sign of having heard him, she just kept shooting vampires.

"Xion! We've gotta get outta here NOW!" he roared.

Xion backed towards the door, still shooting. "There's too many," she said calmly. "We won't be able to get away."

"Yes we can! Let's go!"

"No." A single tear fell from Xion's blue eye. "Only one of us can make it out with him." Her glance moved briefly from the vampires to her husband. "Love you," she whispered in a broken voice.

"Xion! No!"

Xion silently pushed him through the door and closed it. Soon the sound of gunfire was replaced by screams of agony.

"Xion…" Roxas murmured tearfully. Then it turned into an inhuman scream.

"**XION!**"

_**Commander's Office**_

_**Light Guardians HQ**_

_**1200 hours**_

_**15**__**th**__** August 2010**_

"Rules were broken, and rules must be enforced," the blue haired man yelled insistently.

"Oh, shut the hell up, Isa!" his rival, a tall redhead, shouted back. "You know as well as I do that casualties were unavoidable in that situation. I am absolutely sure that Roxas never planned to kill any vampires on that mission…"

"But he did!" Isa roared.

"SILENCE!" a tall, scarred man yelled.

The room quieted down immediately.

"I am inclined to believe Mr Flynn's defence of Mr Strife. Mr Thornton, we must remember that Mr Strife is recently bereaved, and should be treated leniently." The man leaned back in his chair. "It was Larxene St. Peter that was the major vampire casualty, wasn't it?" he asked Roxas.

Roxas, his head bowed, said nothing.

"Yes it was, Master Eraqus," the redhead answered.

"Thank you Lea," Eraqus Hamill nodded. He paused, deliberating briefly. "I have made my decision. Roxas Strife will be taken off active duty in the Light Guardians and placed into witness protection for both his own safety and ours."

"Ours?" Isa snorted. "Why ours?"

"Because if Xemnas St. Peter tracks Roxas here, nothing and no one will be able to stop him," Eraqus snapped. "Especially not you!"

Isa bristled visibly.

"While Roxas' new identity is constructed, he will be confined to base. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Isa and Lea nodded. Isa's reply was sullen; Lea's full of relief.

"Good. Dismissed. And Roxas."

The blonde man looked at his commanding officer for the first time in the whole meeting.

"I really am sorry. Far more than you could possibly imagine."

"Thank you, sir," Roxas murmured.

_**Roxas' Room**_

_**Light Guardians HQ**_

_**1508 hours**_

_**15**__**th**__** August 2010**_

The worst part was that they'd taken away his guns and his gun licence. No matter what, he had no chance of doing the one thing he really wanted: putting a bullet in his own brainpan.

The door opened. In walked Roxas' best friend Sora Leonhart, his usually cheery face sombre. He sat next to Roxas on the small bed.

"Never thought something like this would happen, bro." They were not, obviously, brothers. They were, however, distantly related by marriage. Sora's father was Squall Leonhart, one of the most legendary agents the Light Guardians had seen, much like Roxas' own father, Cloud Strife. Xion's mother was Ellone Loire, Squall's sister. Therefore, in Sora's eyes at least, the two were cousins.

Roxas did not reply to Sora's efforts to make small talk.

Sora sighed and got down to business. "Well, once you walk outta here, you're headed for Twilight Town. Your new name is Ventus Tribal. Your mother, Garnet, lives in Hollow Bastion, while your father, Zidane, was killed in the Heartless Wars ten years ago. You have a half-brother, Vanitas, who lives with Garnet in Hollow Bastion." He paused. "Also, we've kept the part about you being a widower. Sorry."

Roxas looked at him and said one word. "Xion?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, you were still married to Xion. Most of her details are the same, except for cause of death. Clearly, 'death by vampire mauling' isn't gonna cut it in the real world." Despite himself, Roxas smiled at Sora's feeble, if slightly tasteless, joke. "Hey, a smile! I knew you were still yourself! Anyway, we had to change Xion's COD to 'stabbed to death in a failed mugging'. Not much better than what actually happened, but it was the best we could come up with."

Roxas nodded.

"Okay, that's it," Sora concluded, standing up and making for the guarded door.

"Sora," Roxas called after his friend in a hoarse voice.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For everything."

Sora gave him a sad smile. "Hey. What are friends for?"

_**Corridors**_

_**Light Guardians HQ**_

_**1525 hours**_

_**15**__**th**__** August 2010**_

Lea was calmly walking through the halls when he was pushed against a wall by Isa.

"What the hell?" Lea demanded.

"You know what," Isa sneered in hushed tones. "Your defence of that rule-breaker back there."

"Oh, get off that high-horse of yours, will ya?" Lea batted away Isa's hands. "The only reason you were so…vehement in there was because of this obscure grudge you have against me."

"It is not obscure!" Isa snarled.

Lea grinned cockily. "Called it."

The blue-haired man stared directly into Lea's eyes before looking away.

"Isa, next time you wanna settle something with me, don't get my friends involved." Lea's voice was surprisingly violent-sounding.

Isa left without another word.

_**Gohan Roxas: **__I hate writing depressing things. Hence the likely indefinite hiatus of 'Reformation'. Sorry!_

_**Roxas: **__Please review! If you don't, things'll probably become even more depressing for me!_


	2. Mundane

_**Gohan Roxas: **__Now that I've got at least one person who's interested in this story, I'm gonna keep it up._

_**Roxas: **__What's the purpose of this chapter?_

_**Gohan Roxas: **__To set up your relationship with Naminé, of course._

_**Roxas: **__What?! *blushes*_

_**Seventh Heaven**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**1100 hours**_

_**6**__**th**__** April 2012**_

"Tribal! We ain't got all day!" the muscular black man shouted.

"Yes, Mr Wallace," Roxas replied hurriedly. Working at Seventh Heaven had its ups and downs. The ups were that the hours were decent, as was the pay. The downs were that the bar's owner, Barret Wallace, was, for lack of a better term, a hardass.

A blonde man sidled up next to Roxas, helping him clear the table. "Don't worry, Ventus. Barret's always tough on the new recruits."

Roxas looked at him. "1) Call me Ven. 2) I'm not worried. 3) I've worked here for over a year, Hayner."

Hayner shrugged. "You're still the newest here."

"Thanks," Roxas deadpanned.

"Don't mention it." His friend grinned.

Not including Barret himself, there were six people who worked at Seventh Heaven: Roxas (known to the locals as Ventus Tribal), Hayner, Olette, Pence, Yuffie and Serah.

"Hey Ven!" Pence, the chubbiest member of the group, called out.

"Yeah?"

"She's there again."

"Who?" Roxas feigned ignorance.

"You know exactly who," Yuffie giggled.

Roxas glanced guiltily out the window of the café and saw _her_ sitting down reading a newspaper at their rival, Galbadia Garden.

Her name (he'd been told) was Naminé Villiers, and she was the same age as him. She'd lived in Twilight Town her entire life, and led an apparently very boring life, always following the same routine.

She saw him from across the street and waved. Blushing to the roots of his hair, he returned to his cleaning. Though he didn't see or hear it, he was sure she giggled.

Olette let out an "awww", to which Pence scoffed.

Yuffie clapped her hand on Roxas' shoulder. "Who'd have thought the son of a war hero would be too scared to talk to a girl?" she teased.

"Well, I haven't talked to a girl I was…" He coughed uncomfortably. "…interested in since…" he trailed off.

Everyone else in the room's faces dropped. They all knew what that meant.

"Hey! Slackasses!" Barret roared at them. "This ain't no social club! Get back to work!"

"Yes, Mr Wallace," they said simultaneously.

Roxas took his place behind the counter, checking the register's contents. It was a policy of Barret's that the register be checked every two hours. After Yuffie made off with 500 munny one week, it was a requirement.

When he looked up from his task, a distinctively blonde girl stood in front of him, one hand clutching a newspaper. She smiled at him as he looked up.

"Aah!" he called out instinctively.

The blonde girl's smile fell. "Well, if you're gonna be that way, I won't talk to you." She resolutely turned around, her arms crossed.

"Uh…" Roxas' words failed him. "I was just…surprised to see you. Don't you normally spend the morning at Galbadia?"

She opened one sapphire eye and looked at him. "Yes I do, but they don't have any employees as attractive as you. Well, physically attractive, at least."

He flushed, to which she giggled and turned around. Her laughter stopped, however, once she spotted the gold band on his ring finger.

He noticed her detached look and tilted his head. "Something wrong?"

"Uh, no, it's just…" Her gaze returned to his face. "Are you married?"

"I was," he replied in a small voice. "Not anymore."

Her eyebrows furrowed. He was still wearing his wedding band, so it hadn't been a divorce. That left…

"I'm so sorry," she said to him.

"Thanks."

She held out one petite hand. "I'm Naminé Villiers."

He shook her hand. "So I've heard. I'm Ro- I mean, Ventus Tribal."

She looked at him, but did not comment on his strange slip-up.

"Tribal!" Barret shouted at him. "Aren't ya gonna take her order?"

"Sorry, Mr Wallace," Roxas called back. He looked back at Naminé. "So what'll it be?"

She giggled. "One cappuccino, please and thank you. Extra sugar."

He gave her a side-long glance. "You sure about the extra sugar? You're sweet enough without it."

She blushed at his compliment. Despite this, he mentally face palmed. _You hardly know this girl and you're flirting with her? Shame on you, Roxas._

"Okay, extra sugar _on the side_," he said then. "Just in case you don't need it."

"Thanks," Naminé replied, the blush still perceptible in her face.

**KH**

_**Roxas' Apartment**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**1630 hours**_

_**8**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Roxas smiled at the letter in his hand. It appeared to be from Ventus' half-brother Vanitas, and read as follows:

_Hey Ventus,_

_How've you been, man? Gotten any girls yet? I really don't see what they see in you. You haven't got enough muscle on you to pick up any chicks, but somehow you do. I'm never gonna figure it out._

_ Mom misses you, you know. No idea why she misses your scrawny ass so much, but she does. Must be something to do with the fact you look so much like Zidane._

_ Anyway, that's really all I can think of to write. I was never good with this sort of thing. And no wisecracks about my grades being low._

_Vanitas_

_PS. CALL MOM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, ASSHOLE._

Roxas grinned and went into the small kitchen. He opened the microwave and placed the letter face down in it. He set it for a minute, and, once that time was up, he looked at the back of the letter, revealing the letter's true message.

_Roxas,_

_I know how much you like how I write for Vanitas, so no complaining, okay? I know you're smiling right now, I just know it._

_ We miss you, bro. Not just me, but all of us. Axel, Riku, Terra, Aqua… Oh, by the way, Terra finally got the guts to ask Aqua on a date! True, he had to get a push from Riku, but he did it._

_ You remember how I said I was dating a girl named Kairi in my last letter? Well, I forgot to tell you that we were actually engaged. And we got married last week! Wish you could've been there, man. You'd have been best man for sure. As it was, Riku filled in. Man, you were mentioned in the best man speech more than Kairi or I were! Check out the USB in the envelope, by the way. It's full of photos of the day, so you can at least feel like you were there._

_ That's all from my end, dude. Hope you feel okay. Like I said, we miss you, bro._

_From Sora (and his new wife, Kairi)_

_PS. Seriously, have you met any girls yet?_

Roxas laughed as he went towards the discarded envelope. Sure enough, there was a small USB stick in the bottom. He plugged it into his computer and skimmed through the photos. Sora looked dapper in his simple black suit, while the white-clad auburn-haired girl, presumably Kairi, positively glowed in her wedding dress. Axel looked ever-so-slightly ridiculous in his own suit, as did Riku, the substitute best man. In the next picture, Kairi had apparently slammed a piece of the wedding cake into Sora's face; Sora, presumably looking for vengeance, was trying very hard to kiss her sloppily on the cheek. Kairi looked like she was laughing. The final picture was of the two of them, both with no cake on them, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.

There was a knock at the door. Roxas did not close the pictures. Instead he just went to the door and answered it.

Standing in the doorway, looking pretty as ever, was Naminé. "Hi, Ventus."

"Naminé!" Roxas said quite loudly. "No offence or anything, but… How do you know where I live?"

"Serah told me," she shrugged.

"Oh right. I'd forgotten that Serah is a major matchmaker, and also dating your older brother."

"Can I help it if she's hopelessly in love with Snow?" she asked innocently, pushing past him into the apartment. She spotted the computer, and the wedding photo of Sora and Kairi. "Who's that?"

Roxas floundered silently before coming up with a good choice. "That's Terra and Aqua, two of my friends from Radiant Garden. They got married over the weekend, and Terra emailed me the photos."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Naminé chirped. "They look so in love."

"Believe me, they are," he replied wryly.

Naminé looked at him nervously and muttered something about "the Girl Code."

"The Girl Code?" Roxas asked, oblivious.

Her eyes widened. "You heard that?"

Roxas nodded.

"Well, I was just thinking that maybe I might have to break the Girl Code."

"Break it?"

"Yes-do-you-want-to-go-out-with-me-Ventus?" she asked with _inhuman_ speed.

"What?" He looked at her with wide eyes. "Did you just ask me out?"

She nodded quickly. "And by doing so I broke the Girl Code. The girl _never_ asks the guy out."

"Really?" He smiled at her. "Well, sure, I'll go out with you."

"You…will?" Her eyes looked that of a deer in a pair of headlights.

"Yeah."

He became acutely aware of Naminé clinging to him, and blushed.

"Thank you!" she shouted happily.

He did not reply. He was too busy blushing.

**KH**

_**Streets**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**1700 hours**_

_**8**__**th**__** July 2012**_

From a black convertible, the black-haired man peered through his binoculars as the blonde-haired man that was his target hugged a woman of a similar age as she left his apartment. He smirked and picked up his phone. "Master," he said in a hoarse whisper. "I've found him." His blue eyes flashed crimson as his grin turned savage.

_**Gohan Roxas: **__Dramatic conclusion alert!_

_**Naminé: **__Ventus, who was that weird guy?_

_**Roxas: **__Guy? *looks at Gohan Roxas*_

_**Gohan Roxas: **__I'm not saying anything._


	3. Sanctuary Defiled

_**Roxas: **__Gohan, are you gonna tell me who that guy from the last chapter was?_

_**Gohan Roxas: **__Nope. Don't want to spoil it._

_**Naminé: **__I have no idea what's going on._

_**Roxas: **__You're not the only one._

_**Gohan Roxas: **__WARNING: The final scene of this chapter is slightly graphic, and may disturb some readers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED._

_**Oathkeeper Restaurant**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**1800 hours**_

_**10**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Roxas sat fidgeting at the table he'd reserved. He adjusted his sleeve for the fifth time and checked his hair for the twelfth.

The dull roar of a car's engine filled the air. Roxas glanced up and saw Naminé getting out of a grey convertible. "Thanks, Snow!" she called to the driver. "Don't you and Serah have too much fun!" She giggled as she saw her brother's girlfriend blush. Snow gave his sister a look and drove off.

Roxas was completely overwhelmed by the sight of his date. As was her custom, she wore a white dress, but this one was more stylish than her usual one. On her feet were tall heels (white, naturally), and she wore simple earrings. She had, quite literally, taken his breath away.

"Hey, Ven. Sorry I'm a bit late," Naminé apologised.

"It, uh…it's no big deal," Roxas stammered.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"What? No, no, nothing's wrong! You just look…"

"Is it too much?" she asked, a worried frown crossing her face.

"No, you look…beautiful."

She blushed a deep red. "T-thanks." She took her seat and picked up a menu. "So what are you getting?"

Roxas looked at his own menu. "I'll probably get the carbonara, with some garlic bread on the side."

"Garlic?" she asked, consternation in her voice. "Why that?"

He shrugged. "Just a leftover from growing up. My dad loved the stuff." That was safe. His real father, Cloud, _did_ love garlic bread, so it wasn't much of a stretch.

"Okay…" Naminé said sceptically. "I think I might get…the Bolognese."

"You sure about that? I mean, you're wearing white. Won't it stain?"

She giggled. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm not a messy eater." She looked at him with those deep blue eyes. He flushed.

**KH**

_**Roxas' Apartment**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**1925 hours**_

_**10**__**th**__** July 2012**_

"So…" Roxas said as they reached his door. He turned to face her.

Just as he did, Naminé's lips crashed into his.

She pulled back, shock in her face. "Sorry! I was aiming for your cheek."

Roxas laughed sympathetically. "I'm not complaining."

She blushed again. He really liked it when she blushed.

"Uh…I have a confession to make," Naminé said then.

Roxas' eyebrow rose involuntarily. "A kiss _and_ a confession? Man, I'm a lucky guy."

If possible, Naminé became even redder than before. "I don't have a place to stay tonight!"

"What? But what about…"

"Snow and Serah want the house to themselves tonight. Not that anything's gonna happen, I mean… Snow's a good guy, and if Serah doesn't want to…you know…he won't force her and…"

He placed one finger on her lips, cutting her off. "You can stay here tonight."

"What?"

"You can take the bed; I'll sleep on the couch."

Naminé moved to kiss his cheek, and actually succeeded this time. "Thanks, Ven."

He smiled at her. "It's the least I can do."

**KH**

_**Roxas' Apartment**_

_**Twilight Town**_

_**2350 hours**_

_**10**__**th**__** July 2012**_

For the first time in two years, Roxas dreamed of Xion. Of the single tear she shed before throwing him out of harm's way. The split second between her fighting for her life and her life being literally ripped from her. Even in his sleep, he screamed.

He woke up sweating, his breath heavy in his chest, a tear lying unshed in his eye.

There was a dull thud, coming from the general vicinity of the bedroom. Wryly he wondered if Naminé had fallen off the bed.

The thud was followed by heavy footsteps. Roxas started to worry. He threw the blanket onto the floor and quietly moved to the bedroom door. Silently, he opened it and peered in.

There was a man standing in front of the bed. His hair was composed of black dreadlocks, and he wore a long cloak. His shoes were heavy boots, and he inched closer and closer to Naminé's sleeping form.

"Hey!" Roxas shouted.

The man wheeled, and his eyes flashed crimson as his gaze fixed on Roxas.

"Oh, shit." Reacting immediately, Roxas threw a punch at the man, who deflected it and lunged for his opponent's neck. Roxas landed a left hook, dazing the man. Roxas kept up the assault, becoming dimly aware of Naminé screaming in alarm. Roxas, with some effort, ignored the cries and continued to punch and kick the assailant. Eventually the dreadlocked man slammed into a wall and fell.

Acting quickly, Roxas fished into a drawer and pulled out a sharpened piece of wood, which he plunged into the man's chest.

The man screamed and burst into flames, turning into a pile of ash within seconds.

Roxas was panting from his exertions as he turned towards Naminé, who looked terrified.

"Ventus… What's going on?" she asked shakily.

Roxas did not answer her question, instead grabbing her hand. "Grab your stuff. We need to get outta here. Now."

"What?"

Again, Roxas did not reply. He grabbed a phone from the same drawer the stake had been in and dialled a number. The call was picked up on the third ring.

"_Leonhart_," Sora's groggy voice came from the other side of the line.

"Sora, it's me. I've been compromised."

"_What?_" Sora's voice was suddenly all business.

"There was a vamp in my apartment. I can't be sure, but I think Xemnas might be after me, and he knows where I am."

"_Oh, shit._"

"My sentiments exactly."

"_I'll contact the Director. Get here now._"

"One more thing. I had a…" He glanced at Naminé, who was packing, confusion still on her face. "…a friend over. The vamp tried to attack her. She knows, and I don't want her to go through the usual procedure."

"_Normally I'd say something sly here, but under the circumstances, it'd probably be the wrong time._" This coming from _Sora_? "_I'll notify Eraqus about that too. Bring her with you._"

"Gotcha. See you soon." He hung up and grabbed Naminé's hand. "Come on, we have to go."

"Ventus, what's going on?!" she demanded for the second time that night.

Not turning around, Roxas told her everything. "My name's not Ventus. That's just a false identity. My real name is Roxas Strife. That guy back there was a vampire. Until two years ago, my job was to kill vampires. Two years ago, I went on a mission with my wife. The mission got botched, and she died. After that, I was put into witness protection."

Naminé was staring at the back of his head as they reached his car. "If you'd told me all that about a week ago, I would've called the nearest lunatic asylum. But after seeing _that_," she indicated over her shoulder, "I'm believing every word."

**KH**

_**Throne Room**_

_**The Castle that Never Was**_

_**0000 hours**_

_**11**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Lexaeus entered the presence of his Master reluctantly that night. If there was only one downside to serving Xemnas St. Peter, it was being the bearer of bad news. And the news that Lexaeus brought was very bad indeed.

His Master's face was haggard, and the blood of his most recent victim dripped down his chin gruesomely. Even now, Lexaeus was slightly disgusted by the sight.

"What is it?" Xemnas snapped.

"Xaldin is dead, My Lord," the tall man rumbled.

Xemnas' eyes widened horribly. "What news of the hunter, then?"

Lexaeus coughed uncomfortably. "We believe that he was the one who killed Xaldin, My Lord."

Xemnas screeched insanely and darted towards his servant with blinding speed. Briefly, Lexaeus lost his eyesight as he felt a roaring pain.

When his sight returned, he saw his Master's cold face. The silver-haired vampire's hand was extended, and he held something long and pink. _That's my tongue_, Lexaeus realised.

Contemptuously, Xemnas threw the tongue to the other side of the room. "You are lucky that I am going to produce for you enough blood to repair yourself. The next time you fail me, you will lose more than your tongue." He bared his fangs. "Get out of my sight."

Lexaeus nodded, his own blood dripping onto his dark cloak, and vanished from the room immediately.

_**Gohan Roxas: **__I did warn you. Anyway, I'm alone at the moment, since Roxas and Naminé are on the run, so I'll say it. PLEASE REVIEW._


	4. History

_**Gohan Roxas: **__It's BAAACK! Sorry it's been so long between chapters, but I had very few ideas. This time I decided I'd focus on a certain character's backstory. And no, it's not Roxas, nor is it Sora or Axel (who was Lea in chapter one, but he's Axel from now on)._

_**Sora: **__Who is it?_

_**GR: **__Spoilers…_

_**Commander's Office**_

_**Light Guardians HQ**_

_**1000 hours**_

_**12**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Eraqus Hamill tented his fingers, listening to Sora's report on the incident. According to him, Roxas had had this girl – Naminé Villiers – at his apartment for whatever reason when the vampire, who intelligence had been able to identify as Xaldin Fisher, attacked. Fisher had attempted to attack Ms Villiers believing he was Roxas.

It was troubling news. Particularly in light of the fact that Fisher was a known associate of the one thing in the world who wanted Roxas dead more than anything: Xemnas St. Peter.

Eraqus cleared his throat as an indication for Sora to stop talking. "So let me understand. Roxas does not want Naminé's memory to be erased, as per the usual procedure, but instead wants to offer her protection here."

"Yes sir," Sora nodded. "At least, that's what he told me last night, sir."

"In other words, he has learned to love again." Despite the gravity of the situation, Eraqus chuckled.

"Sir?"

"Never mind." Eraqus thought about it. "Perhaps it's not such a bad idea after all." He stood up. "As of now, Roxas Strife is fully reinstated to the Light Guardians, and the civilian Naminé Villiers will be informed of the truth of what we do."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, sir?" Sora asked delicately. "Not that I'm questioning you, or anything…"

Eraqus smiled. "I know, but the usual rules have to be suspended for now. Send for Ms Villiers, and send someone to tell Roxas he's back on the job."

Sora grinned. "Yes sir."

A few minutes later, a terrified-looking blonde woman was led into his office. She flinched slightly at Eraqus' scars.

"It's alright. I'm a friend," he assured her. He held out a hand. "My name is Eraqus Hamill."

She shook the hand warily. "Naminé Villiers."

He sat down and gestured for her to do the same. "How much do you know about your new friend, Ms Villiers?"

"Not much," Naminé admitted. "Can you tell me more, Mr Hamill?"

Eraqus chuckled. "Oh, the things I could tell you, Ms Villiers. And please, call me Eraqus."

Naminé smiled. "Thank you, Eraqus."

The Director of the Light Guardians leant back in his chair. "Before I tell you the story of Roxas Strife, I need to tell you my story."

**KH**

_**Chapel**_

_**Hollow Bastion**_

_**2230 hours**_

_**12**__**th**__** December 1982**_

Eraqus Hamill strode confidently through the hallways, knowing that stealth was not an option with this particular mark. This vampire was on par with Dracula in his prime, and he'd killed many an agent who'd been sent in to destroy him. So why send Eraqus in? Alone, at that?

Simple. He was that damn good.

Eraqus' black cloak kicked at his heels; his footsteps echoed throughout the building. He stopped. "You know I'm here!" he shouted. "You may as well make things easier on us both!"

There was a dry chuckle; a haunting sound. A bald old man with a white goatee and yellow eyes landed with a heavy thud in front of the altar. He stood up as straight as he could and glared at Eraqus.

_Xehanort Nimoy._

"I admire your bravery, boy," the vampire sneered. "There may be much stupidity involved as well, but it is bravery nonetheless."

Eraqus did not take the bait. "Can we skip the preamble, please? My wife hates it when I'm late for dinner."

Xehanort cackled. "Very well." His eyes flashed crimson as he leapt with inhuman speed at Eraqus.

The hunter leapt out of the way and took cover behind a bench. He pulled his Colt revolver from his holster and shot at the vampire.

Contemptuously, Xehanort dodged the bullets, then vanished.

Eraqus looked around, shocked. The files never said that Xehanort could do that.

He felt breath on his neck; he turned to see Xehanort behind him.

The next thing he knew, he was on the floor, his face bleeding from the deep gashes Xehanort's claws had inflicted.

Xehanort cackled again. "Any last words?" He moved towards Eraqus, his hands behind his hunched back.

"Yes," Eraqus panted out, struggling to right himself. Xehanort moved closer to him.

The vampire's mouth suddenly gaped open, and his gaze moved down to the wooden stake that was now stuck into his heart.

"_Requiescat in pace,_" Eraqus breathed his catch-phrase through gritted teeth.

Slowly, Xehanort became engulfed in dark flames. The flames consumed him until there was nothing but ash left.

"And may no-one remember your name," Eraqus murmured as he walked out of the chapel, his blood still dripping down his face.

**KH**

_**Commander's Office**_

_**Light Guardians HQ**_

_**1100 hours**_

_**12**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Naminé's eyes boggled as Eraqus told the story of how he got the scars that rested on his face.

Eraqus smiled kindly at her. "It's difficult to take in, I know. But that story relays back into present day. You see, Roxas – or Ventus, as you knew him – is the son of Cloud Strife, one of the best agents this organisation has ever seen. Roxas was a prodigy. He already knew exactly what to do. I saw that with my own eyes. Roxas was the first agent I inducted into the Light Guardians after I became Director."

Naminé remained silent.

"As for Xehanort's connection to this, he was the one who turned Xemnas St. Peter. Xemnas is currently the oldest – and most dangerous – vampire on the planet. And Roxas, for lack of a better term, pissed him off."

"H-how?" Naminé stammered. She was amazed at what she was hearing. Even more amazing was the fact that she was believing every word.

"Two years ago," Eraqus began, "Roxas and his wife, Xion, were sent to rescue an agent from the custody of Xemnas. In the attempt, Xemnas' wife, Larxene, was destroyed by Roxas."

Naminé suddenly felt a surge of pride for the man she'd known as Ventus Tribal.

"Unfortunately, Xion was killed during their escape."

The wedding band. The sorrowful look on his face. She felt even more sympathetic to him now.

"After that, Roxas was placed in witness protection as Ventus Tribal in Twilight Town, where he met you."

"So I have you to thank, then?"

Eraqus blinked. "Excuse me?"

"If you hadn't sent Ven…I mean, _Roxas_…to Twilight Town, I would never have met him. So…as weird as this sounds, thank you."

Eraqus smiled and took her hand in his. "It was my pleasure."

**KH**

_**Throne Room**_

_**The Castle That Never Was**_

_**2240 hours**_

_**12**__**th**__** July 2012**_

Xemnas clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly. How Xaldin's failure irked him. Xaldin was among the most efficient of his servants. And yet he had failed. Destroyed by that _cursed_ Roxas Strife.

Xemnas roared suddenly and tipped over his table, spilling the wine glass of blood onto the floor.

The shy footsteps of Lexaeus entered the room. "What news?"

"The hunter has returned to his base with the girl," the servant rumbled.

"And our informant?"

"Prepared to do whatever it takes, My Lord."

Xemnas grinned insanely, blood staining his teeth. "Excellent. He cannot run or hide now."

_**Sora: **__Wait, what?! Informant?_

_**GR: **__I'm saying nothing._

_**Roxas: **__Hey Gohan…_

_**GR: **__Yeah?_

_**Roxas: **__What was that stuff Eraqus said to Xehanort?_

_**GR: **__Oh that. Yeah, that was a few nods to both the Hugh Jackman "Van Helsing" movie and the "Assassin's Creed" series. If you saw that, dear readers, kudos to you._


End file.
